Fresh Brownies: Browns exec puts crazy number on expectations

Steve Doerschuk CantonRep.com sports writer @sdoerschukREP

Wednesday

Jul 26, 2017 at 6:59 PMJul 27, 2017 at 9:52 AM

Browns writer Steve Doerschuk serves up a dozen takes on what is being seen and said at the dawn of 2017 training camp. What's up with the bosses "expecting" 20 victories? What's eating Matt Wilhelm? And other questions, addressed.

FRESH BROWNIES Browns writer Steve Doerschuk serves up a dozen takes on what is being seen and said at the dawn of 2017 training camp:

1, Countless are the times a coach or owner respond to a question about goals for the season by saying, "I'm not going to put a number on it."

The reply is a Jimmy Haslam staple.

Haslam's second-year head coach put a crazy number on it Wednesday.

"Our expectation is to go out and win 20 games," Sashi Brown said, "and that is exactly what we will tell our guys."

Executive vice president meant that as four wins in the preseason and and 16 games in the regular season, that would leave room for three more wins after a first-round playoff bye.

The quote actually was longer than that, and it obviously involved hyperbole and imagery. We've always appreciated going out on a limb in stated expectations as opposed to timid optimism.

2, The bosses say the Browns will monitor options as to adding a wide receiver but are not actively seeking one."We're not panicked," executive Sashi Brown said. "We have great coaches, and a lot of guys have taken big steps."

Back from last year's team are Corey Coleman (33 catches for 413 yards), Ricardo Louis (18 for 205), Hollywood Higgins (six for 77) and Jordan Payton (one for 3). Those four 2017 draft picks totaled 58 catches for 698 yards. The team has little choice but to hope one or two of them break through to draw coverage away from veteran newcomer Kenny Britt. A lot rides on the former No. 15 overall draft pick, Coleman.

3, Since the Browns came back in 1999, there have been two official roster-cut deadlines. This year, there will be only one: 4 p.m. Sept. 2, eight days before the opener against Pittsburgh. It's doubtful anyone will still have the maximum allotment of 90 players on the roster that late, but they can if they want to. "That'll be a long day," Sashi Brown said Wednesday as Hue Jackson nodded. "None of us has cut that many players at one time."

4, Matt Wilhelm of Browns Daily got annoyed by a series of press-conference questions to Joe Thomas and Joe Haden that had little to do with their thoughts on the Browns as training camp begins."It befuddles me," Wilhelm said. While the former Ohio State and NFL player had a point, Browns Daily is known for going off on weird tangents.

5, Defensive lineman Stephen Paea will be in town for next Thursday's Hall of Fame Game. He has a good chance to make the Cowboys roster in a defensive-line rotation. Does anyone even remember that Paea appeared in 13 games for the 2016 Browns? Cornerback Leon McFadden, a 2013 Round 3 pick who spent two training camps with the Browns, is expected to play a lot for the Cowboys when they come to Canton. Linebacker Karlos Dansby, 35, will be in town with the Cardinals. He spent 2014 and '15 with the Browns and 2016 with the Bengals.

6, Brown seemed to think Jackson's comment that Derrick Kindred "will be out there (with the first unit to start camp)" might be misinterpreted. Yet, Kindred was the first name Jackson mentioned when asked about the dicey matter of finding two or three respectable safeties. Kindred was a fourth-round pick out of Texas Christian in 2016. In one stretch, he made five starts within nine games before breaking an ankle. Brown mentioned Ed Reynolds as a contender for a key role.

7, Unless the Browns blew a first-round pick, Jabrill Peppers will start at safety sooner rather than later. It was hard to tell where Peppers' head was in the spring. It was almost as if someone had told him, "You're from Michigan. Be careful down there." It would be better for everyone if he doesn't fall into traps that engulfed the career of ex-Wolverine Braylon Edwards.

8, Brock Osweiler has completed five seasons as an NFL quarterback. Cody Kessler, Kevin Hogan and DeShone Kizer have been through a combined two seasons. At this point, it would be a big shock for Osweiler not to be on the opening-day roster. “He is still young, but he certainly has more experience than DeShone, Kevin and Cody, and that is valuable," Brown said. "Brock is a competitive guy. He has really dug into the playbook and really endeared himself to his teammates."

9, Jackson foresees "tremendous competition" for the right tackle job. As to the view Shon Coleman is the frontrunner over Cam Erving, it's more than a matter of the current regime having drafted Coleman, whereas Ray Farmer picked Erving. By midway through spring practice, no less an authority than Joe Thomas was saying Coleman was getting the job done and appeared on course to win the job.

10, Asked to name a few players who pique his interest as training camp begins, Brown mentioned Coleman, Emmanuel Ogbah, Myles Garrett and Desmond Bryant. He insists the personnel department is keeping an open mind."We really try not to handicap or project," he said. "We want to allow the development of our players to come to us."

11, Kyrie Irving's friend Joe Haden says he was "caught completely off guard" when the Cavaliers guard asked to be traded. Haden said the Cavs need to get two all-stars back if they trade Irving. Matt Wilhelm didn't care.

12, Haden's trade value would be minimal right now, but he could be worth a ton to the Browns if he meshes with new coordinator Gregg Williams. A career second wind wouldn't surprise us. Isn't that sort of thing why Williams is making the big bucks?

Reach Steve at 330-580-8347 or

steve.doerschuk@cantonrep.com

On Twitter: @sdoerschukREP

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